14 players on a 16U-A true traveling team is about right. It ain't 12U ball anymore.
16U A team Roster size
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Not disagreeing, but what is the main value in having 14 vs. 12?
Is it that you play so much that not everyone is going to be available? Is it because older girls have more things going on and can't commit to playing as often? Is it because you have more specialists (ie, pitchers who can't hit or field) and need more players to accommodate that? Is it because it's more about winning and having more players breeds more competition and makes them better? Or is it because if you take 14 on the team, any mistakes made in tryouts (ie, that girl is not as good as I thought, in fact she's terrible) won't hurt the team?
I am not as experience as most of you. Very little aggregate experience among my daughters. Some of you have 10u daughters who have more tournament experience so far this year than do my daughters combined over their entire careers.
However,
the optimum size depends a LOT on the girls on the team, and their families.
For the younger girls, there are often a lot of other sports. I've seen young girls miss part of a tournament for a swim meet or a basketball tournament (yes, one girl played in a softball and basketball tournament the same weekend Worse, she is a pitcher. Worse yet, DD #3 was throwing really wild that weekend, so this other girl wound up pitching most of the innings. She looked very tired when she left. Luckily, her father was the coach for her basketball team, and made sure the tournaments were across the steet from each other)
Older girls? Some wind up missing tournaments for work, HS summer programs, etc.
All girls miss games for family activities. Knew a 12u and 16u who were sisters, both missed a tournament the same weekend because of a wedding.
Sometimes, a coach can put together a group of 10 or 11 or 12 girls, and know these girls can make the commitment. Sometimes the skill difference between the last girl to make the team and the first girl to NOT make the team is big, and no point in playing with an extra weaker player.
So, there is no ideal roster size.
Maybe the coach who was going to play 11 saw that there were 13 girls he really wanted on his team, so expanded to 13. Maybe one of the two additional girls was OP's DD. Or, maybe not.
However,
the optimum size depends a LOT on the girls on the team, and their families.
For the younger girls, there are often a lot of other sports. I've seen young girls miss part of a tournament for a swim meet or a basketball tournament (yes, one girl played in a softball and basketball tournament the same weekend Worse, she is a pitcher. Worse yet, DD #3 was throwing really wild that weekend, so this other girl wound up pitching most of the innings. She looked very tired when she left. Luckily, her father was the coach for her basketball team, and made sure the tournaments were across the steet from each other)
Older girls? Some wind up missing tournaments for work, HS summer programs, etc.
All girls miss games for family activities. Knew a 12u and 16u who were sisters, both missed a tournament the same weekend because of a wedding.
Sometimes, a coach can put together a group of 10 or 11 or 12 girls, and know these girls can make the commitment. Sometimes the skill difference between the last girl to make the team and the first girl to NOT make the team is big, and no point in playing with an extra weaker player.
So, there is no ideal roster size.
Maybe the coach who was going to play 11 saw that there were 13 girls he really wanted on his team, so expanded to 13. Maybe one of the two additional girls was OP's DD. Or, maybe not.
- Jun 21, 2012
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To carry or not to carry....
I have 16 girls on my roster, two play a fall HS sport, so they will join us this summer. This fall we will have 14.
Why do I have so many?
1. I have a couple of specialists. They prefer to concentrate on one position because that is what they feel they will do in college.
2. I can field a team of 10 always. I never have to bring in an outside player. When trying to build a team, I try to eliminate external forces that can cause the team to break down. When girls sweat together, they build a comradery that helps their performance. Outside players don't bring that and actually tear it down.
3. I have a lot of inner team competition which causes skill progression to improve at a quicker pace. Practice is where a player improves, not in games. I read a parent say his DD was one of the better gloves on the team. She got that way in practice, not in how many games she played. The extra players help each other improve.
4. We work on making everyone valuable. In any team, all members are important, even the ones who are not out front. My bench has duties and responsibilities during the game. I talk with my bench when my fielders are in the game, so they continue to feel a part of the game. We work on things like stealing signs, looking for tendencies, anticipation, etc. To me, some of the best learning happens on the bench.
5. I have a pitching staff and a catching staff on my team. I can pull a fresh pitcher in, all warmed up, as I need. I can swap pitchers in a game to generate multiple looks to keep the opposing offense off-guard. I have many more opportunities to maneuver my players to give rest, or prevent injury from over-use.
6. I can put together a very competitive schedule for my team and not worry about burn-out. Every player can take a tourney off if they get tired. Parents do not have to worry about family schedules as much. If they need to take a vacation, wedding, graduation, etc. they have that flexibility.
7. I can give a home to a girl who has some skill, but the other "more competitive" teams didn't have a spot for her. I coach her, mentor, and train her, so the next year, she can make that team. Usually, she stays with me.
8. I like the flexibility. I like having 6 outfielders, 4 pitchers, 3 catchers, 3 first-base, 4 second, 4 short, 3 third.
These are just a few of my reasons for a large roster.
I have 16 girls on my roster, two play a fall HS sport, so they will join us this summer. This fall we will have 14.
Why do I have so many?
1. I have a couple of specialists. They prefer to concentrate on one position because that is what they feel they will do in college.
2. I can field a team of 10 always. I never have to bring in an outside player. When trying to build a team, I try to eliminate external forces that can cause the team to break down. When girls sweat together, they build a comradery that helps their performance. Outside players don't bring that and actually tear it down.
3. I have a lot of inner team competition which causes skill progression to improve at a quicker pace. Practice is where a player improves, not in games. I read a parent say his DD was one of the better gloves on the team. She got that way in practice, not in how many games she played. The extra players help each other improve.
4. We work on making everyone valuable. In any team, all members are important, even the ones who are not out front. My bench has duties and responsibilities during the game. I talk with my bench when my fielders are in the game, so they continue to feel a part of the game. We work on things like stealing signs, looking for tendencies, anticipation, etc. To me, some of the best learning happens on the bench.
5. I have a pitching staff and a catching staff on my team. I can pull a fresh pitcher in, all warmed up, as I need. I can swap pitchers in a game to generate multiple looks to keep the opposing offense off-guard. I have many more opportunities to maneuver my players to give rest, or prevent injury from over-use.
6. I can put together a very competitive schedule for my team and not worry about burn-out. Every player can take a tourney off if they get tired. Parents do not have to worry about family schedules as much. If they need to take a vacation, wedding, graduation, etc. they have that flexibility.
7. I can give a home to a girl who has some skill, but the other "more competitive" teams didn't have a spot for her. I coach her, mentor, and train her, so the next year, she can make that team. Usually, she stays with me.
8. I like the flexibility. I like having 6 outfielders, 4 pitchers, 3 catchers, 3 first-base, 4 second, 4 short, 3 third.
These are just a few of my reasons for a large roster.
16u team last year, we had 15 I thought way to many, but 2 would not be coming to half of the tourneys... 2 ACLs, 1 new job, 1 pissed off mommy and 1 banged up 1st baseman later. We needed guest players for the last 2 tourneys.
General rule of thumb for a showcase team is age group = number of players. 12U = 12 players, 14U = 14 players, 16U = 16 players. While it may dimension playing time it prevents forfeits (16 year olds can drive and want a social life) and spreads the cost of playing in showcases over more players.
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